Dreaming
by Divine Contemplation
Summary: Rainpaw, Oakpaw, Hollypaw, and Shadepaw are all WindClan apprentices. One day, Rainpaw receives a strange prophecy. Now the four ordinary cats turned extraordinary, must fulfill it.
1. Allegiences

**A/N: **Ok, this is my first Warriors story. Please read it and review. I want to know what's wrong with it, but no flames, please!

These are the cats in the story; I might not use all of them, but they're a good reference for me, and for you, the reader. (: Also, Oakpaw, Hollypaw, Shadepaw, and Rainpaw need warriors names. Any ideas?

**Allegiances**:

**WindClan**

**_Leader_:**

Silverstar – Light grey tabby she-cat with blue eyes

**_Deputy_:**

Liontail – bright ginger tom with hazel eyes

_Apprentice_: Hollypaw

_**Medicine Cat**:_

Moonflower – Pale grey she-cat with hazel eyes; she appears to be glowing

_Apprentice_: Rainpaw

**_Warriors_:**

Icefire – white tom with blue eyes and a fiery attitude

_Apprentice_: Oakpaw

Bluefang – blue-grey she-cat

_Apprentice_: Shadepaw

Cinderfoot – Dark grey tabby tom

Ravenwing – Dark, almost black, tabby tom

_Apprentice_: Cloudpaw

Poppyleaf – tortoiseshell she-cat with brown eyes

Streamfur – grey tabby she-cat

Moustail – brown tortoiseshell tom

Hazelwing – pale tabby she-cat

Stormcloud – dark grey tabby tom

Stoneclaw – light grey tom

**_Queens_**:

Sparrowtail – light ginger she-cat, nursing 2 kits (Flamekit and Dawnkit) Mated to Liontail

Ferntail – tortoiseshell she-cat, oldest queen, mother of Shadepaw and Hollypaw (Mated to Ravenwing)

Streamfur – silver tabby she-cat, mother of Oakpaw and Rainpaw (Mated to Stormcloud)

**_Elders_**:

Featherclaw – pale grey she-cat with green eyes

Suntail – ginger tom; oldest cat in WindClan

**_Apprentices_**:

Hollypaw – pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Shadepaw – dark tom with amber eyes

Rainpaw – light grey tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Oakpaw – grey tabby tom with dark blue eyes

Cloudpaw – white tom with hazel eyes

**ThunderClan**

**_Leader_:**

Ashstar – dark grey tom

**_Deputy_**:

Brightshine – pale ginger she-cat with white spots

**_Medicine Cat_**:

Rippletail – light grey tabby tom

**_Warriors_**:

Pinestorm – pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

_Apprentice_: Swiftpaw

Birchfall – brown tabby tom

Fluttertail – light grey tabby she-cat

_Apprentice_: Fernpaw

Swallowtail – pale tabby she-cat

**_Queens_**:

Blossomflower – tortoiseshell she-cat with hazel eyes, nursing three kits (Hazelkit, Streamkit, Blackkit)

**_Apprentices_**:

Swiftpaw – small brown tom

Fernpaw – light grey tabby she-cat

**_Elders_**:

Greyleaf – small, short-haired grey she-cat

**ShadowClan**

**_Leader_:**

Cedarstar – tortoiseshell tom with green eyes

**_Deputy_**:

Pineclaw – aggressive tortoiseshell tom

**_Medicine Cat_**:

Shadedleaf – dark tabby she-cat

**_Warriors_**:

Blackthorn – black tabby tom with sharp claws

_Apprentice_: Mousepaw

Flametail – dark red tom with hazel eyes

**_Queens_**:

Speckletail – pretty tortoiseshell she-cat, nursing 1 kit (Icekit)

**_Apprentices_**:

Mousepaw – light brown tabby tom

**_Elders_**:

Tallstripe – tall tabby tom

**RiverClan**

**_Leader_**:

Dawnstar – pale grey she-cat with light brown eyes

**_Deputy_**:

Goldencloud – ginger she-cat with hazel eyes

**_Medicine cat_**:

Tallpoppy – tortoiseshell she-cat

_Apprentice_: Fadedpaw

**_Warriors_**:

Silverleaf – silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes

_Apprentice_: Frostpaw

Snowfall – aggressive white tom with light grey eyes

Tigerstripe – dark tabby tom

**_Queens_**:

Nightwing – black she-cat with green eyes, nursing 3 kits (Featherkit, Leafkit, and Darkkit) Mated to Tigerstripe

**_Apprentices_**:

Frostpaw – white she-cat with light grey eyes

Fadedpaw – light tortoiseshell she-cat, looks as if her colors have been faded by the sun

**First chapter will be posted... now!**


	2. Apprentices!

**A/N: Ok, read and review, please:D**

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Tallrock for a Clan meeting!" Silverstar's yowl interrupted the four kits play-fighting in a little hollow deep hidden in a long prairie of endless hills. The stood, then began to creep towards the Tallrock, quivering with excitement. Leading the way was a small tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes. The tip of her tail rested on a dark tom's shoulder. The tom was her brother, Shadekit, the almost black tom, was her brother, and he was mewing excitedly to the cat behind him. Oakkit was next in line, shooting a last glance at the nursery where he, like all the other kits, had been living for the first six moons of their lives. The dark grey tabby took his eye off his first home and shifted his gaze to his second, the apprentices' den. That was the purpose of his leader's call: they were becoming apprentices. He touched his sister, behind him, with his tail. She was a light grey tabby, with soft blue eyes. Rainkit, as she was called, was quietly walking, looking unconcerned. She was the only calm cat among them, Oakkit decided.

The four kits reached the edge of the Tallrock and sat down, Rainkit by her mother, Streamfur, Oakkit with Shadekit a little in front, and Hollykit just behind them. Her eyes found her father, Ravenwing, and found him gazing proudly at Shadepaw. She tore her gaze away from the black tom and focused on Silverstar.

"Today we gather here for one of my favorite duties. Four kits are six moons old and ready to become apprentices." She gazed warmly at the four kits sitting together. "First, Shadekit." Oakkit nudged his friend forward. "Bluefang," she continued, "You have always been an honest and loyal warrior, as well as a great fighter. I hope you will pass some of these traits on to Shadekit. Shadekit, from now until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Shadepaw." Bluefang stepped forward and touched her nose to her new apprentice's. Silverstar nodded at them and continued. "From now until she earns her warrior name, Hollykit will be known as Hollypaw. Liontail-" she turned to her deputy "-you have hunting skills beyond any cat in WindClan. I hope you will teach some to them to Hollypaw." The two cats touched noses and sat together by Shadepaw and Bluefang.

Silverstar continued. "Oakkit, from this moment on until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Oakpaw. Icefire, the Clan honors your fierce attitude and fighting skills. You will be Oakpaw's mentor." Trembling, Oakpaw touched his nose to his mentor's, then padded over to sit with the other apprentices. At once a thought took over his mind. Who would Rainkit's mentor be? She had always been somewhat different from the other kits. Mostly, she disapproved of all the fighting that was constantly going on in the warriors' world. Oakpaw hoped she would be happy with her mentor. He cleared his thoughts as Silverstar continued.

"Rainkit, from this moment on until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Rainpaw." She stood and addressed the Clan. "Rainpaw has chosen not to follow the path of a warrior. Instead, she will train to be WindClan's next medicine cat. Moonflower will mentor her.Oakpaw nodded, pleased. That was perfect. Training under Moonflower, the medicine cat, she wouldn't be fighting. She could live a peaceful life, but still be part of everything she loved.

**You've read it; that's half done already. Now review.**


	3. Training

**I want more reviews. Thanks to those few of you who actually did review. No thanks to those of you who read it but didn't bother to tell me what you thought. It's not that hard.**

"Ouch! Stop poking me!" Oakpaw growled. Rainpaw rolled her eyes, but she couldn't hide a glimmer of amusement.

"You don't want to be late for your first day of training, do you?" she mewed. "You know how Icefire gets mad really easily.

"Right!" Oakpaw stood up, stretching hastily. "I'd better go." He pushed his muzzle into his sister's flank, then dashed out of the apprentices' den. Rainpaw flicked her tail and followed him out. She couldn't sleep too much longer either; even though Moonflower wasn't as quick-tempered as Icefire, Rainpaw didn't want to be late on her first day of training.

Rainpaw took a small mouse from the fresh-kill pile and padded over to sit outside the apprentices' den. She dropped her mouse by Hollypaw and crouched down, eating quickly. She finished and headed across the camp towards the medicine cat's den, calling a "Goodbye, Hollypaw! And good luck!" Then she turned to find Moonflower.

"Now, attack me again. But this time be quicker. If I was your enemy, I would have had all your fur off by the time you could react," Icefire said, "and then some."

It was four sunrises after the four apprentices had started their training, and already Oakpaw could identify every smell in the forest. He could scent a mouse and tell how long ago it had been there. Now he was working on the fighting.

Oakpaw frowned, concentrating hard. Icefire would expect him to run straight forward and jump at him. That was what he had done last time, and he had ended up flat on his back, staring up at the face of his mentor. It hadn't worked last time, and it wouldn't work this time.

Maybe if he jumped slightly to one side. Icefire would spring the other way, and he would instantly be able to spring on top of him. It was worth a try.

Oakpaw ran towards his mentor and leaped, slightly to one side. As he had thought, Icefire dodged away from Oakpaw and reached out with a forepaw to trip him. Oakpaw landed just far enough away, and, while his mentor was still slightly off-balance, he ran forward, barreling into him, the impact knocking him over. He leaped on top of Icefire, barely able to hold him down. He scrabbled for his mentor's belly with his hind paws, and Icefire groaned. Alarmed, Oakpaw stepped away. He hadn't wanted to hurt his mentor. But as Icefire stood up, there was a gleam of amusement in his eyes.

"Well done," he said. "I think that's enough for today. We'll do more tomorrow."

**There's a little button in the bottom left hand corner, right down there. -- Use it.**


	4. Moonpool

**Sorry, people, I was busy with my Ask Hawkfrost story, and I wasn't able to update. Here's the next chapter.**

"Okay, Rainpaw, are you ready?" Moonflower asked. They were about to leave on Rainpaw's first visit to the Moonpool. Every half-moon, all the medicine cats from all the Clans journeyed to the Moonpool to share tongues with StarClan. Rainpaw was almost as excited as when she had become an apprentice.

"I'm ready," she said. Moonflower called a goodbye to Siverstar, then beckoned Rainpaw with her tail.

"This is so exciting!" Rainpaw exclaimed. "I've never been out of our territory before, much less to the Moonpool! What's it like?" She glanced hopefully up at her mentor.

Moonflower's whiskers twitched in amusement. "You'll see for yourself soon enough," she said, glancing ahead. "Look, there's the rest of the medicine cats. They're waiting for us." She ran ahead, leaving Rainpaw to follow.

"Hey, are you Rainpaw?" A small she-cat bounded up to her. She was tortoiseshell, but her markings were blurred and indistinct, as if faded by the sun.

"Yeah," mewed Rainpaw, suddenly self-conscious. "Are you Tallpoppy's apprentice?" She had heard Moonflower talking to Silverstar about the RiverClan cat's decision to train a follower.

"Yes, I'm Fadedpaw," the other apprentice said. "This is my third time coming here." She looked as if she was a warrior talking to a kit, with a kind of superior attitude, but then she ran her tail over Rainpaw's flank. "Come on, I'll show you the way."

"Thanks," Rainpaw said, and followed Fadedpaw ahead of the medicine cats.

- - - - - - - - - - -

"Here we are," mewed Shadedleaf, pausing at the top of the hollow. Below, Rainpaw could hear the sound of a waterfall crashing into the hollow. She fell in line behind Moonflower as the medicine cats stepped carefully down the path spiraling into the hollow.

When Rainpaw reached the top of the path, she caught her breath. The Moonpool was amazing! To one side, a stream of water crashed over the cliff, then trickled into a little pool of water. It was the most beautiful place Rainpaw had ever imagined.

As she padded down the steep path, she felt her paws slide into the paw prints of many generations of cats. She could sense the presence of her warrior ancestors around her. Even Fadedpaw, who had been talking all the way up, was silent. Rainpaw could almost see the cats of StarClan crouching around the hollow.

The cats padded over to the pool of water reflecting starshine from above. Rainpaw took her place between Moonflower and Fadedpaw. She stood, watching the stars, as Moonflower repeated the words her mentor had howled on her first visit to the Moonpool.

"StarClan!" she said. "I give you my apprentice, Rainpaw! Accept her and watch over her as you once did for me."

The six cats, crouched around the pool of starshine, moved as one to lap up some water. As one, they fell into a deep sleep.

Immediately Rainpaw found herself above the hollow. Now all the cats whose presence she had felt earlier were now visible. One cat parted itself from the crowd and stepped forward.

"Rainpaw," he said. Rainpaw recognized the dark tabby tom, but she couldn't remember his name. She glanced around nervously. "Forgive me," he said. "I am Jaystar. I was WindClan's leader before Silverstar."

"But—you died!" Rainpaw blurted out. "Oh, and you're in StarClan now. I'm dreaming, aren't I?"

"That's right," Jaystar mewed. "We welcome you as a medicine cat apprentice."

Rainpaw felt a soft pelt brush against hers and Moonflower's scent washed over her. She glanced at her mentor, then back up at Jaystar. Another cat stepped forward. "I am Swallowflight. I was Moonflower's mentor," she said. "I hope you will serve your Clan well."

"I will," Rainpaw said confidently. "I will."

**Review, and I'll update more quickly :)**


	5. Gathering

**Finally, an update! Although a Gathering doesn't usually come right after a moonpool visit... oh well. **

**Also, for later in the story, you have to pretend that ShadowClan and ThunderClan territories switched places. Okay? So, from the Horseplace, following the map counter-clockwise, it's WindClan territory, then ShadowClan territory, then ThunderClan territory, then RiverClan territory. So WindClan borders RiverClan and ShadowClan. If that made any sense at all.**

"This is so exciting!" Hollypaw exclaimed. "My first Gathering! I can't wait. I wish Silverstar would let us go faster."

"It's farther away than you think," Liontail mewed, coming up behind the apprentices. "Don't worry, you'll get there soon enough." He fell back to speak with Silverstar.

"I wish Icefire could have come," Oakpaw muttered.

"You know he had to stay at the camp," Rainpaw reminded him.

"Yeah," Shadepaw added, "what would happen if ShadowClan warriors took advantage of us and attacked us while we're still at the Gathering?"

"But there's a truce," Oakpaw reminded him. "They can't."

"Then they would wait until dawn, and attack us then," he said. "If I was there, I would have their fur off by the time you got back."

"Oh yeah?" Oakpaw retorted. "You would be so mouse-brained that you would chase them into-"

"I see it! I see it!" Hollypaw squealed, interrupting their playful quarrel. "We're here!"

Oakpaw looked out across the lake. A small land mass appeared in the middle of a great expanse of water. Between the island and the shore, a fallen tree stretched across the lake. Silhouetted shapes moved silently across it towards the island and the Gathering.

Soon it was WindClan's turn to cross. Hollypaw followed Liontail, and Shadepaw jumped up behind her. Oakpaw stepped carefully after him, and Rainpaw followed last: their usual order. After much slipping and sliding, they were standing on the shore of the island.

Oakpaw sensed that Hollypaw wanted to run off and explore the island. He did, too. He wanted to stretch his legs and run freely after the careful walk along the slippery tree. But Silverstar had ordered them not to run away when they got there. Oakpaw laid his tail on Hollypaw's flank, murmuring, "Wait a little. We'll have time for everything."

Hollypaw blinked, affection glowing in her soft green eyes. Suddenly Silverstar called, "All right, you may go. Cloudpaw, be sure to show the other apprentices around."

"Sure, Silverstar," Cloudpaw agreed. He turned to where the four other apprentices were gathered. "Come on, let's go!"

"Shouldn't I go with Moonflower?" Rainpaw asked.

"Yes, I guess you should," Cloudpaw agreed. For the first time, he looked a little less excited. He shook his head and pointed with his tail. "She's over there." Then he turned back to the other three apprentices. "This way," he mewed.

After a brief tour of the island, Cloudpaw took them to the center by the big tree, where all the other cats were gathered. He padded over to a group of apprentices.

"Hi," he mewed. "These are our new apprentices." He rested his tail on each of their shoulders as he said their names. "This is Shadepaw, Hollypaw, and Oakpaw."

"I'm Fernpaw of ThunderClan." A light grey tabby she-cat spoke. "And this is Swiftpaw." She nosed a small brown tom.

"And I'm Streampaw of RiverClan." A pretty silver tabby spoke. Her clear blue eyes took in the three WindClan apprentices. "How long have you been training for?"

"Most of a moon," Shadepaw replied. He narrowed his eyes. "And you?"

"Two and a half moons." Streampaw's gaze hardened. "You look barely out of the nursery."

"Well, you look like a kittypet," Shadepaw retorted. The she-cat's fur bristled.

"That's enough." A dark tabby tom stepped between the two apprentices. "Streampaw, come with me."

"But Tigerstripe-" she stopped short when she caught sight of Shadepaw's glare. "Next time I meet you, it'll be in battle," she muttered. "And then you'll be sorry."

Shadepaw smirked and turned to Oakpaw. "Let's move on," he said, loud enough for Streampaw to hear. "The Gathering is starting." He turned to Fernpaw. "Coming?"

The ThunderClan apprentice nodded. She opened her mouth to reply, but was silenced by Silverstar's howl.

"Let this Gathering begin!" Silverstar called. She turned to a pale grey she-cat sitting on a branch beside her. "Dawnstar, would you like to speak for RiverClan first?"

"Thank you." Dawnstar stepped forward. "RiverClan has little to report. The prey has been plentiful. We had one cat join the warrior's den this moon. Snowfall has earned his warrior name."

Cries of "Snowfall!" echoed around the clearing, coming mostly from Riverclan cats, and Dawnstar sat down again.

Now a tortoiseshell tom stood up. "ShadowClan has another apprentice. Icepaw is here tonight." The Clan cats took up the call for the apprentice as the ShadowClan leader opened his mouth again. "The prey has been scarcer than usual, for leaf-fall. Some of our warriors are going hungry. I ask WindClan to lend us a little bit of territory, until prey runs plentiful again."

Cats of WindClan stood up, hissing. Oakpaw could hear Liontail's angry mew. "We need our territory! WindClan can not and will not give hunting grounds to an enemy Clan!"

Silverstar stepped forward and called, "Quiet!" Her gaze ran over the crowd she stood addressing. "Cedarstar," she mewed, turning to the ShadowClan leader, "WindClan uses every bit of our territory. Surely if ShadowClan did too, you would not be hungry."

Cedarstar glared at her. "A small piece of land is not enough to feed a growing Clan."

Silverstar returned the icy gaze. " If ShadowClan starves, that is not a concern of WindClan. It only means more hunting grounds for the rest of us."

"Very well," Cedarstar hissed. "So my Clan will not be given any territory. Then we will have to take it."

A dark grey tom stepped forward. "May I report for ThunderClan?" he asked.

"Fine, Ashstar," Cedarstar mewed, keeping his gaze glued on Silverstar.

"ThunderClan lost an elder, Greyleaf, this past moon. We are sad to see her join StarClan. She lived a long and noble life, though, and her Clan honors her." Mews of sympathy spread through the crowd, and Ashstar blinked gratefully. "Blossomflower gave birth to three healthy kits, and ThunderClan thrives." He stepped back and looked expectantly at Silverstar.

The WindClan leader stood. "Very well, then," she mewed. "WindClan has four new apprentices. Hollypaw, Shadepaw, and Oakpaw are here, along with Rainpaw, who has chosen to follow the path of a medicine cat. The prey is running, and every cat is healthy." She gazed at the four Clans below her. "No cat has anything else to report?" she asked. The three leaders in the tree with her shook their heads. "Then this Gathering is over." She leaped down and said something to Liontail, who immediately headed towards the apprentices. Oakpaw murmured a final goodbye to the other apprentices, then followed his Clan's deputy to where Silverstar was waiting.

**Review, please! Reviews motivate me to write, and if I'm motivated, I'll be more likely to update, which means chapters will come more quickly. So review!**


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